Nonito Donaire Arranges Showdown with Jorge Arce

After dispatching South African Jeffrey Mathebula in their title-unification bout in a dominating fashion, Nonito Donaire is all set for big money fights that will push him through boxing super stardom.

The unified International Boxing Federation junior featherweight and World Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion will be facing Mexican warrior Jorge Arce in what could be the biggest test of his boxing career.

Shortly after Donaire scored a unanimous decision win over Mathebula, Top Rank Boss Bob Arum revealed that the Filipino Flash will be stepping into the ring against Arce on October or November, either in Las Vegas or Los Angeles.

Donaire’s manager Cameron Dunkin quickly confirmed the planned fight, saying that his ward will be facing the fiery Mexican despite their desire of fighting another champion for another title-unification bout.

“We knew that this fight against Mathebula leads to an Arce fight this fall, and it’s a fight that’s big on HBO,” Dunkin said. “It’s Arce either in October or November. We are committed to fight Arce; we have an agreement, verbal agreement, to fight Arce.”

Last year, Arum toyed with the idea of pitting Donaire against Arce in a blockbuster fightcard in Manila, but the veteran promoter, dismissed the possibility of holding the fight in the Philippines due to economic reasons.

“It’s probably in October, but not in Manila,” Arum said. “We don’t have any sponsors talking to us about doing it in Manila. Unless we have local sponsors we can’t do it by ourselves because we’re so busy over here.”

If the plan pushes through and Donaire will successfully dispatch Arce, Japanese sensation Toshiaki Nishioka, who was at ringside during the Donaire-Mathebula fight, is up next for the Filipino champion followed by title showdowns against WBA champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and WBC titlist Abner Mares.